Forget the cocktail sauce. Forget the mignonette sauce. Forget any type of concoction you or a well-meaning host has ever topped your oysters with in the past. The combination of peppers, both sweet and hot, make this dish something special — even holiday worthy. (Think New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day.)

If you’re unsure how to open oysters properly, a process that can be dangerous if you don’t have the proper equipment, ask your fish monger to open them for you, to save the liquor and shells, and then you can reassemble at home.—Caprial and John Pence

convert Ingredients
For the spicy pepper relish
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 red onion, minced
1 Anaheim chile, minced
2 red jalapeño chiles, minced
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Salt

For the oysters
30 small oysters, such as yearlings, in the shell
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Rock salt, for serving
Cilantro or flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish

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Method
Make the relish
1. Combine the garlic, onion, chiles, lime juice and zest, oil, cilantro, cumin, and cinnamon in a bowl, and mix well. Season to taste with salt; set aside.

Make the oysters
1. Shuck the oysters and refrigerate the meat until you are ready to cook them. Reserve and wash the bottom half of each shell; set aside.

2. Combine the eggs and water in a bowl, and mix well. In another bowl, combine the flour and cornmeal, mix well, add the salt and pepper, and mix well again. Dip each oyster in the egg mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture, and place on a plate.

3. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add as many oysters as will fit in the pan without overcrowding and brown well, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Continue pan-frying the remaining oysters.

4. To serve, place an oyster in each of the reserved shells. Set the shells on a bed of rock salt on a serving platter or tray. Top the oysters with some of the relish, garnish with cilantro sprigs, and serve immediately.

Recipe © 2003 Caprial and John Pence. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Tori Ritchie | Party Appetizers: Small Bites, Big Flavor | Chronicle Books, 2004 | Makes 40 to 50 gougères

Making pâte á choux was one of the first things I learned in cooking school, and I’ve had the pastry formula rattling around in my head ever since. When flavored with cheese and baked, it puffs into addictive gougère. The French tend to make theirs with Gruyère, I use Cheddar, and either way they beg to be eaten with Pinot Noir. For parties. I make one-bite gougères and people tend to eat 3 or 4. You can also split these and fill them with chicken, ham, or lobster salad for substantial hors d’oeuvres.—Tori Ritchie

convert Ingredients
1 cup water
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Put the water, butter, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the pan a few times until the butter melts; once it has melted, increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and dump in the flour. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.

3. Take the pan off the stove, set it on a counter or hot pad, and let it cool, without stirring, for 5 minutes.

4. Now, work in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating the mixture well with the spoon after each addition (you have to put some muscle into it to incorporate the eggs fully). With each addition, the dough should look glossy and slick at first, then stick to the sides of the pan before you add the next egg. After beating in the last egg, beat in the dry mustard and cayenne, then the cheese and chives.

5. Scoop up a heaping teaspoon of dough and with another spoon, push it off onto the paper-lined baking sheet (it should form a mound about 1 inch in diameter). Continue with the remaining dough, leaving an inch of space between the gougères (work in batches as necessary, the dough can stand, covered with buttered waxed paper or parchment, for up to 1/2 hour).

6. Bake until the gougères are puffy and light golden, about 25 minutes, switching pan positions halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving, or turn off oven and let gougères remain in oven, with door ajar, for up to 1 hour.

Recipe © 2004 Tori Ritchie. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

This delicious gratin is flavored with sharp Gruyère and smoky lardons. It’s served at the restaurant in individual casseroles, but it looks best at home in a great big dish. This makes generous portions or highly prized leftovers. Be sure not to overbake the gratin or it will “break,” meaning that the butterfat in the cheese will separate from the milk solids, resulting in the dreaded greasy gratin.—Keith McNally

convert Ingredients
One 16-ounce box elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces lightly smoked slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 cups whole milk
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups grated Gruyère cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the box. Drain, toss with the olive oil, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

3. Add the bacon to a small skillet and saute over medium heat until brown but not crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and add to the cooked macaroni.

4. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk just to a foamy boil, then reduce the heat to very low to keep warm.

5. In another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, remove from the heat. Whisk in the flour and continue stirring until a smooth, pale roux has formed. Return the saucepan to medium heat and, while still whisking steadily, begin ladling the hot milk into the roux, 1 cup at a time, completely incorporating each cup before adding the next. After all the milk has been added, continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and bubbles gently, about 2 minutes. Add the Parmesan, 2 cups of the Gruyère, and the salt and pepper, and stir until the cheese has completely melted.

6. Pour the sauce over the macaroni, mix thoroughly, and pour into a buttered 10 X 14-inch gratin dish. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove, sprinkle the remaining cup of Gruyère over entire top, and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, until the top is golden and crunchy.

Recipe © 2003 Keith McNally, Riad Nasr, Lee Hanson. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

This Tunisian ragout called maraqat al-zaytun is served as a main course, but because of the convenience of the olives and their size, I think the dish lends itself well to a meze table. This recipe requires large pitted olives preserved in a mild brine, not a strongly flavored one. You’ll notice that this recipe calls for a huge amount of parsley—three to four bunches, and you must trust me that that is not excessive. The tabil (pronounced “table” in Tunisian Arabic) is an all-purpose Tunisian spice mix. The word means “seasoning.” Harissa is the most important prepared condiment used in Tunisian and Algerian cooking. It can also be found in tubes in specialty food stores.—Clifford A. Wright

convert Ingredients
For the tabil
1 large garlic clove, chopped and left to dry in the open air for 2 days, or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 cup coriander seeds
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

For the harissa
2 ounces mildly hot dried guajillo chiles
2 ounces mild dried Anaheim chiles
5 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping off
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the olives
1/2 pound ground beef
2 cups finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (3 to 4 bunches)
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Tabil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 pounds pitted large green olives, drained
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Harissa
1 1/4 cups water

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Method
Make the tabil
1. In a mortar, pound all the ingredients together until homogenous. Store in the refrigerator if using fresh garlic for up to 2 months, or indefinitely, in a spice container, if using powdered garlic, although the pungency will decline as time goes by. Makes 1/4 cup.

Make the harissa
1. Soak the chiles in tepid water to cover until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain and remove the stems and seeds. Place in a food processor with the garlic, water, and olive oil. Process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides.

2. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the caraway and coriander seeds, and salt. Store in a jar in the refrigerator, covering the surface of the paste with a layer of olive oil. As you use the Harissa, make sure to top it off with a little olive oil so that it is never exposed to the air to prevent spoilage. Properly topped off with olive oil so bacterial growth cannot occur, Harissa can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Makes 1 cup.

Prepare the olives
1. In a large bowl, knead together the beef, parsley, onion, egg, tabil, salt, and black pepper. Stuff the olives with this stuffing, using a small, narrow baby spoon or the handle of a teaspoon.

2. In a casserole, preferably earthenware, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the diluted tomato paste, red pepper flakes, harissa, 1 teaspoon salt, and the water. Bring to a boil and add the olives. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the meat is done (you’ll need to taste one), about 1 hour.

3. Serve the olives with the sauce if serving this dish as an appetizer at the table or serve with cocktail toothpicks if serving as a passed appetizer.

Recipe © 2003 Clifford A. Wright. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Darina Allen | Easy Entertaining | Kyle Books, 2006 | Serves 12 to 16 as an appetizer

This is a simply wonderful standby, miles more impressive than smoked salmon. We use it for canapés, appetizer salads, and as a main course for a light lunch accompanied by pickled cucumber, deliciously runny semi-hard-boiled eggs, and salad greens. It keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge, but I have a feeling it won’t be around that long.

Fresh dill is essential but we also have fun with black peppercorns, coriander seeds, whole grain mustard, vodka…—Darina Allen

convert Ingredients
For the sweet mustard and dill mayonnaise
1 large cage-free, organic egg yolk
2 1/2 tablespoons French mustard
4 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup peanut or sunflower oil
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
4 teaspoons finely chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the gravadlax
1 1/2-to-2 pound tail piece of fresh wild salmon
2 tablespoons sea salt (or kosher salt)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped dill, plus whole sprigs for garnishing
Sweet Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise
Brown bread and butter, for serving

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Method
Make the sweet mustard and dill mayonnaise
1. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the mustard and sugar. Add the oil, drop by drop, whisking all the time, then add the vinegar and dill and season to taste.

Make the gravadlax
1. Fillet the salmon and remove all the bones with tweezers.

2. In a bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, pepper, and dill. Place the fish on a piece of plastic wrap and scatter the mixture over the surface of the fish.

3. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours. If you have 2 pieces of fish, place one on top of the other, flesh side together.

To serve
1. Wipe the dill mixture off the salmon and slice thinly, cutting straight down to the skin. Arrange a few slices on a white plate (square for preference) with a zig-zag of the Sweet Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise over the top. Alternatively, arrange in a rosette shape and fill the center of the rosette with the mayonnaise. Garnish with fresh dill.

2. Serve with brown bread and butter.

Recipe © 2005 by Darina Allen. Photo © 2005 Peter Cassidy. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

On the tiny artists’ island of Burano near Venice, I was served a first course of shrimp risotto that simply beguiled me. As soon as I returned home I set about re-creating this achingly fresh dish. Many pounds of rice later, I hit upon a recipe that I believe comes close to the original.

Note: Always make sure there’s enough liquid to cook the rice; it should bubble gently like old-fashioned oatmeal. If it dries out or becomes clumpy, add more stock or water to correct.—David Leite

convert Ingredients
For the shrimp stock
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Shells from 3/4 pound medium shrimp (reserve shrimp for risotto recipe, below)
2 small carrots, peeled and diced
2 small onions, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
7 cups cold water
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper

For the risotto
3/4 pound medium shrimp, deveined and chopped into small pieces
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided as specified
1 tablespoon yellow onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups high-quality imported Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
Shrimp stock
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Method
Make the stock
1. In a heavy stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp shells and vegetables; cook about 15 minutes, until the shells are deep orange.

2. Stir in the tomato paste, and mix well.

3. Add the cold water and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

4. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve (or a colander lined with several layers of cheesecloth) into a clean pot. Return the strained stock to the stove, and heat to a bare simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make the risotto
1. In a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. When foaming stops, add the shrimp and saute until light pink, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Remove the pot from the stove. Dump the shrimp in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and process until coarsely shredded, about 5 to 7 pulses.

3. Return the saucepan to the heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter, and saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, and cook a few minutes more.

4. Add the rice, and stir until well-coated with the butter. Saute lightly for a few moments until the rice starts to turn translucent, then add the wine and stir constantly until evaporated.

5. Begin adding the stock by the ladleful (about 1/2 cup), stirring constantly until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 25 to 35 minutes.

6. Stir in the shrimp, remaining butter, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Recipe © 2003 David Leite. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

You’ve planned a dinner at home for a new love interest. The date is set, you’re already relishing the menu you’ve devised, and you give a call just to check whether the candidate is violently allergic to anything you’re planning to cook. And then you find out that not only do you have a vegetarian on your hands but a vegan — someone who not only doesn’t eat meat but also eats no dairy, eggs, or fish. What do you do? Cook this! The crazy thing is, it’s really, really delicious. I make it all the time, even when no vegans are coming over. Serve it with a salad, and it’s dinner. You can assemble it ahead and refrigerate, then bake.—Ted Allen

convert Ingredients
1/2 package (1 pound) frozen filo dough
One 2 1/2-pound butternut squash
2 medium red onions, sliced through the equator, 1/2 inch thick
1 red bell pepper, halved, stemmed, and seeded
2 teaspoons kosher salt
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/3 cup for brushing the filo, or as needed
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger (about 1 inch, peeled)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon round cinnamon
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnut pieces
2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
One 16-ounce bag spinach, large stems removed
1 1/2 cups store-bought tomato sauce

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Remove the filo from the freezer and thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. Trim off both ends of the squash. Cut it in half crosswise, where the neck joins the rounded body. Working with the neck end, peel off the tough skin with a vegetable peeler (or stand it on end and cut off the skin with a large knife). Cut into 3-inch chunks. Cut the rounded end in half, scoop out and discard the seeds. Peel with a vegetable peeler or a knife and cut into 3-inch chunks.

3. Put the squash chunks, onions slices, and red pepper halves on a baking sheet so that the vegetables are in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 3 tablespoons of the oil. Toss to coat the vegetables with the oil. Roast for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables once with a spatula. Remove the pepper halves and turn everything again. Roast for 10 more minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Dump the squash into a large bowl. Quarter the onion slices and cut the pepper into 1-inch cubes; dump them both into the bowl. Sprinkle the vegetables with the ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Add the raisins and toss gently; set aside.

4. Turn the oven temperature down to 375°F (190°C). Put the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, shaking the pan twice for even cooking, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and chop; dump them into the bowl with the vegetables and stir gently.

5. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the garlic in a large frying pan over a medium flame. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes to flavor the oil. Add about one third of the spinach and cook, turning it in the oil with tongs until wilted, about 1 minute. Add more spinach and cook, turning as before, and then add the remaining spinach. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until all the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes total.

6. To assemble the pie, have ready a 9-X-13-inch baking dish and a pastry brush. Pour 1/3 cup olive oil into a small bowl. Set that on a work area with the filo and the vegetables. Open the package of thawed filo and unroll the pastry sheets so that they lie flat. Brush the baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the dish so that one long side faces you. Starting at the left edge of the dish, lay one sheet of filo in the dish crosswise so that it covers about half of the bottom, and half of the sheet hangs over the side facing you. Brush the part that covers the bottom with olive oil. Now lay a second sheet along the right-hand side of the dish, overlapping the first sheet in the middle of the dish and overhanging the side facing you. Brush with olive oil. Repeat with two more sheets, but this time, arrange them in the dish so that they overhang the other long side of the dish (at the top). Continue in the same way until you’ve used fourteen sheets of filo. As you’re working, you’ll come across some sheets of pastry that stick together and rip. Discard them if you need to — you have more sheets than you need.

7. Line the bottom of the dish with about half of the spinach, using your hands to open up the leaves and spread them out. Spoon the squash mixture on top and gently flatten with the spoon. Cover with the rest of the spinach. Still working with one long side of the dish facing you, fold one of the filo sheets over the filling and brush with oil. Fold the sheet next to it over and brush with oil. Do the same for the two sheets on the opposing side of the dish. Continue in this way until all of the filo is folded over the filling.

8. Then cover with two more sheets of filo, brushing each with more oil. (You may run out of oil. That’s fine, just pour more into the dish.)

9. Put the baking dish in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving, or let cool to room temperature. Warm the tomato sauce over medium heat. Cut the pie into squares and serve with the tomato sauce.

Recipe © 2005 by Ted Allen. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

The Ritz London (150 Piccadilly), conceived and founded by hotelier Cesar Ritz, opened its doors on May 24, 1906. The first steel-framed building of any significance in London—with French chateau-style architecture and Louis XVI interiors—the hotel was, according to Ritz, “a small house to which I am proud to see my name attached.” After recently being restored to its original glory, the landmark hotel continues to be one of London’s most fashionable addresses for afternoon tea and the place to enjoy “Putting on The Ritz.” A long-standing recipe for a tea sandwich in the Palm Court is a smoked salmon sandwich served with a whisky-spiked mousse, but these simple, equally delicious salmon mousse pinwheels substitute horseradish and chives for the whisky. You can add a few capers for zing, if you like, and then roll the sandwiches into pinwheels.—Margaret M. Johnson

convert Ingredients
For the salmon mousse
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
4 ounces smoked salmon
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon drained capers (optional)

For the pinwheel sandwich
12 slices dark wheat or pumpernickel bread, crusts removed (see Note)
2 ounces smoked salmon, cut into thin strips

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Method
Make the salmon mousse
1. Put the cream cheese, butter, chives, horseradish, salmon, lemon juice, and pepper in a food processor and process for 20 to 30 seconds, or until smooth. Stir in the capers, if using. (Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature for spreading.)

Make the pinwheel sandwiches
1. Roll the bread slices flat with a rolling pin.

2. Spread the salmon mousse on one side of each slice and arrange pieces of smoked salmon on top. Roll up the bread and place it seam side down on a serving plate. Cover with a damp tea towel or paper towels until ready to serve.

3. Serve the salmon pinwheels whole or cut each one in half crosswise and on a diagonal and serve angled side up.

Note: Arnold brand German dark wheat bread (from its Whole Grains bread collection) makes delicious pinwheels.

Recipe © 2009 Margaret M. Johnson. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.